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In this podcast, Bill Whitmore, CEO of AlliedBarton Security Services, talks about creating an innovative e-learning environment to empower outsourced physical security personnel to deliver great results for customers, and to retain and deliver quality employees.

When Bill Whitmore joined AlliedBarton Security Services almost 30 years ago, this provider of on-site physical security personnel was in its infancy with one million in annual revenue. It also had a lofty commitment to invest in providing employees with quality training programs. Today, AlliedBarton ranks as the country's largest provider of physical security personnel to third parties. The company has more than $1.5 billion in annual revenues, more than 50,000 employees, and has about 100 offices around the country. About 200 of the Fortune 500 companies use security services from AlliedBarton.  Meanwhile, AlliedBarton has transformed itself from a training organization to developing an innovative culture based on leadership and employee development. In fact, this company has made Training magazine's Top 125 in training excellence for five years in a row.

Significant technology investments in a variety of e-learning programs underpin AlliedBarton's culture. For example, all security personnel can take the Dare to Be Great challenge, a 14-module online Master Security Course. The Allied Barton Edge, another e-learning program, provides all employees with more than 52 courses in a variety of disciplines. Harvard Business School Press administrators the program. The MyAlliedBarton.com site allows employees to collaborate with each other and to provide management with feedback about the training programs. Other online capabilities include the following: a customer connection, which enables AlliedBarton management to respond quickly to customers' concerns, and a performance management program that provides metrics about each employeee's training, development, and performance. Whitmore says, "All of these tools help us to evaluate and improve our current training programs, develop new programs, and create new services to offer our customers."

In this podcast, Whitmore talks about  the transformation of AlliedBarton's culture, the things that make it an innovative organization, the types of technology it has deployed to create an e-learning environment, the way it measures the effectiveness of its e-learning programs, and some takeaways for C-level executives who strive to create a more innovative company.

Bio

Bill Whitmore is the chair, president, and CEO of AlliedBarton Security Services, the largest American-owned and managed contract security company. He serves on the Private Sector Senior Advisory Committee of the Homeland Security Advisory Council. Whitmore belongs to several trade associations including the International Security Management Association, and the Building Owners and Managers Association. He is chair of the Board of the Philadelphia Police Foundation, and a board member of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.

Resources

Daring to be Great, Smart Business
http://www.sbnonline.com/National/Article/12774/0/Daring_to_be_great.aspx?Category=87

National Company Touts Benefits of Outsourced Security Services, Philadelphia Business Journal
http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/stories/2004/11/29/focus3.html

How Leadership Development Engages and Retains Employees, Human Capital Institute
http://www.hci.org/lib/how-leadership-development-engages-and-retains-talent

Production Credits
Elizabeth Ferrarini, Executive Producer
Tom Parish, Host and Audio Producer

Audio Editing by Doug Marcis